The Mother We Never Knew - Book

The Mother We Never knew, by Cecilia Fandel, OSM

Cost: $10.00

Contact: Sr. Cecilia Fandel, OSM. 773-973-4812.

Introduction

It was shortly after publishing the book The Dream Connection that I received a short note from Sr. M. Peter Prince. One of the many interesting comments made was this, "We have beautiful information about Blessed Anne Juliana and Catherine in a translation of a French book made by Miss Jessie Schenk and Sr. Mary Charles in our archives. It includes the translations and pictures accompanying it..."

Immediately my curiosity was aroused and questions after questions crowded my mind: Who was this woman? How much did Mother M. Alphonse and her companions know about Blessed Anne Juliana? If so, was she their inspiration? Was the only legacy handed down to us the short words of Father Boniface Efferenn, O.S.M. and in agreement to pray to her for the success of the founding of an American Servite Congregation? What kind of woman was she? Where did she come from? What was her family like? Are we really her daughters? Do we carry any of her characteristics? Do we, as Ladysmith Servites, resemble her in any way? Is her spirit burning within us in this time of transition? Could the vision she had of the Servite life speak to us today?

In the past she had been more a shadow or like the dry bones mentioned in Chapter 37 of Ezekiel the prophet. But then, the Lord God said to the bones, "See! I will bring spirit into you that you may come to life." Perhaps this was the time for Anne Juliana to become a living memory, one regenerating new life for us. Could she also inspire us in our refounding process?

In a strange way I felt that our congregation at its birth had been quickly adopted. Only now were we discovering clues to someone who in one sense was our birth mother. Upon securing a copy of the translation of the 1926 biography of Anne Juliana Gonzaga I was confident that my many questions would be answered. It was time to find out. It was time to meet the mother we never really knew.